U.S. companies are forecast to spend five percent more on travel in 2011 than they did last year—a sign of confidence in the economy that is encouraging airlines, hotels and rental-car companies. That's double the growth rate from 2010, which followed two years of decline. Executives sending their workers back on the road say travel is critical to their companies’ success. “You need to have face time,” Says Robert P. Genco, vice president of operations for Synopsis. Synopsis cut its travel budget by about 60 percent during the recession. Now it's nearly back to a pre-recession level, with salesmen and top executives visiting old and new clients in China, India and Japan. Elyria Foundry, an Ohio manufacturer, has been sending engineers and salesmen on the road again to let customers know they are important. “If you look at the younger generation, they seem addicted to text messages, "says CEO Bruce Smith. "When you are there in person, the quality of information you transmit goes up dramatically.” U.S. economic output returned to its pre-recession level in the fourth quarter of 2010, and the economy is forecast to grow faster in 2011. But spending on business travel isnt expected to return to its pre-recession level until the middle of 2013. That’s partly because companies are asking employees to travel economically. Corporate travel managers are asking employees to spend fewer nights on the road, stay at less expensive hotels, rent smaller cars and, in some cases, book cheaper flights that aren’t nonstop.